Pacific Islands teams Moana Pasifika and Fijian Drua have been granted conditional licences to join a proposed Super Rugby tournament in 2022.
Plans for the competition currently include sides from New Zealand and Australia.
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) said including the two new teams is conditional on their final business plans and Rugby Australia’s (RA) support.
NZR chief Mark Robinson said “final sign-off” of the plans was 30 June.
“In the next two months we will be working with Rugby Australia and the two Pasifika teams to formalise their place in the new competition for what we believe will kick off an exciting, new era for the professional game,” said Robinson.
RA chief executive Andy Marinos said: “Once further conditions around the licences have been met, we look forward to formalising the composition of the teams in what will hopefully prove a new dawn for rugby in the region.”
World Rugby have pledged £1.2m on an annual basis over three years to help facilitate the entry of the Pacific Islands teams.
Fijian Drua were established in 2017 and won the Australian National Rugby Championship title in 2018.
“This is a big moment for the Drua and will provide the impetus for us to finalise our equity partners, appoint coaches, contract players and confirm our commercial partners,” said Fiji Rugby Union chairman Conway Begg.
“We are on the home stretch and excitement is building across Fiji.”
